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KiM, the enclosure looks outstanding! It looks like you are using lost foam construction? A lot of guys in the glider forum build fuselages that way. I'm dying to see the finished product! Rusty.

No problemo, KiM. Thanks for the kind words. BTW, I've been following your thread too. If anybody's work is first class, it would yours my friend. That machine you are building is beautiful! Rusty.

I realize that you guys are jesting but since the subject is at hand, remember that the big picture here is that this thread is not really about building a tank but rather, building a mold. I’m only using the tank as a means to demonstrate the process. It’s true that the style I decided to go...

LOL. Actually, the thought has crossed my mind. I suppose I just thought this would be a fun project and maybe interesting for some people here to see. Besides, where would I put the batteries for my lights? Hehehe. Rusty.

With everything looking pretty good, I sprayed some more primer on parting board and sanded it smooth. Still a little work to do but next week we should be building a mold! Rusty.

To try to average it out, I put some shims under one end of the parts and then spaced the parting board up 1/4" so that I would not have to build up so much clay in the middle. With the parts now lowered into the parting board, I marked where I wanted the parting line to be and Dremeled the...

The parting line is not exactly straight for these parts. Notice that one end is close to being flush with the surface of the parting board, while the middle section is about 1/4" above and the other end is below. I've never had to make an irregular parting line before (airplanes fuselages can...

UncleKudzu, Very cool that you were inspired enough to start playing around with it. Makes the thread seem worth while. :mrgreen: Sooo... Time for this week's installment. I've been working on these plugs and I'm thinking they look good enough to me. Not perfect by any means but pretty...

I’m diggin the frame style! You would never know it started life as a girls bike. Great looking bike! Rusty.

Oooooooh! That is SAH-WEEEET! Maybe a tank here? :mrgreen: Love the beer can kick stand, BTW. Hehehe.

I always tell people that fiberglass is the most forgiving medium you will ever work with. If you make a mistake, you can patch it and no one will ever know the difference! So, here is a perfect example. While sanding the beveled edge, I notice that the glass was starting to get a little thin...

So just a quick recap... If you are glassing surfboards and you need a nice crystal clear shiny finish, you can put what they call a "sand coat" over the glass after you do the layup. This is just another coat of resin that will fill the weave of the cloth so that you can sand it smooth...

A little more... Ready for a coat of scratch filler primer. First coat wetsanded. A few more coats and we should be good to go.

Mmmmm... Green Bondo. :mrgreen: For small details, I like to use a razorblade to spread the bondo. Still a little rough here. Just patching up a few areas and working on bringing out a nice crisp line.

Sorry, T. I just don’t have time to do it. However, a buddy of mine has a CNC foam cutter. If you need some cores, he might cut you a set. Rusty.

UncleKudzu, This is a two-part foam that is mixed 50/50. You have about 45 seconds to mix it and then pour it where you want it. It expands and then sets within a few minutes. It gets nice and hard so you can shape it easily. I think the stuff that is used for insulation stays kind of...

Heh. Believe it or not, I actually like the smell of polyester resin. :mrgreen: It conjures up nostalgic memories of hanging out in the surf shops with my buddies as a teen – good times. The bad thing about poly is that it shrinks and tends to warp with age, so I stopped using it to build...

Thanks Hewey! Okay, the parts have been glassed. I used one layer of 9.7oz cloth. All we need here is a hard surface that can be made smooth. It does not have to be super strong. Notice, no puddles. You want to be able to see the weave. It should look like wet cloth when finished. I have...

I decided I didn't like it looking so square, so I decided to chamfer the edges down. I'm liking this a lot more. :mrgreen: This 2lb foam is very easy to shape. I took the majority of it off with a Sure-Form, then finished it with a sanding block. Just about ready to glass me thinks.

Oh man, I love that paint job! By any chance, were you the one that painted this plane? It bears a striking resemblance to your bike! :mrgreen: Rusty.